Removal of endosulfan and methoxychlor from water on carbon slurry.

A carbon slurry, produced in generators of fuel-oil-based industrial generators was converted into an effective and efficient adsorbent for the removal of endosulfan and methoxychlor from aqueous solution. The adsorbent was chemically treated, activated, characterized, and used for the adsorption of endosulfan and methoxychlor pesticides. The maximum adsorption was found at 90 min, 6.5 pH, 0.025 g/L dose, and 25 degrees C temperature. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were applied to analyze adsorption data, and the former was found applicable to this adsorption system in terms of relatively high regression values. The thermodynamic aspect of the process was also investigated by evaluating certain important parameters (enthalpy, free energy, and entropy of system). Kinetics of adsorption was found to follow the pseudo second order rate equation. The diffusion of pesticides into carbon slurry pores was suggested to be the rate controlling step by applying Bangham's equation. Adsorption on a column was also investigated in a continuous flow system. Adsorption efficiencies of endosulfan and methoxychlor were 34.11 and 36.06 mg/g in batch processes and 32.62 and 33.52 mg/g in column operations, respectively.